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The newly
released DVD Lehi in Arabia is a comprehensive
documentary following Lehi's incredible journey from Jerusalem to the New
World. It is narrated by Scot Proctor (Meridian Magazine) and features onsite
interviews with Noel Reynolds, Warren Aston, Jeff Lindsay, botanists,
archaeologists, geologists and cultural historians as they explore all potential
Bountiful candidates on the Arabian Peninsula.

This DVD includes stunning images shot on location over three years and covers more
than 30 years of exploration and research. It is the next-best thing to visiting the sites in person and it will uniquely compliment your Book of Mormon study and teaching.

The important thing is not where the events
of the Book of Mormon took place; the important thing is that those events did take place. When you come to the Holy
Land and walk where the Savior walked and retrace the path of Nephi the
scriptures come to life in a new and exciting way. These incredible people have
now joined the small group of Latter-day Saints who have experienced both the
beginning and end of Nephi’s epic journey across the Arabian Peninsula, a
journey they’ll never forget.

We began the tour in Jerusalem, the city that
Nephi and his family fled and the starting point for one of the most incredible
migration stories in history. On our final full day Jerusalem seemed like a
world away. We had spent time in the hot, barren desert and flown over the
landscape to comprehend Nephi’s 8 years in the wilderness in some small way. We
had slept in tents, walked through dusty ruins, learned about how people
survive in the desert, and we even sampled camel’s milk. As close as is
possible, we were now all in a situation to appreciate what Nephi and his
family had to endure and the incredible faith that they must have had. We were
also in a situation to appreciate how they must have felt when, after all those
years in the searing desert, the Lord guided them to a place of much fruit and
wild honey, a land of fertility, a land of abundance.

Frankincense tree

Loading the fishing boats

Ready to leave

About to head to Kharfot

Today it was time to visit the most probable
location for Nephi’s Bountiful, candidate #3, Khor Kharfot. Getting to Kharfot
is no easy feat; it is an adventure in and of itself. The area is not set up
for tourism and is uninhabited, even today. We had to wind our way west through
a mountain range across Wadi Sayq to a small fishing village. From there we
loaded up fishing boats with lunch and lots of water. One-by-one the boats
brought us in with the waves to land at Kharfot. A large group of camels seemed
to know we were coming and greeted us on the sandy beach. We set up base
amongst some date palms and furiously drank water in an effort to stay
hydrated. It was extremely hot, and by the end of the day at least one person
referred to it as “the sweatiest place on earth.” They’re probably not far off.

The beach landing

Coming in for a beach landing

Arriving at Kharfot

Leaving is a bit more exciting

Two local Omanis who helped with the fishing boats

Time seemed to fly by as we explored the area
and tried to stay hydrated. We looked at the freshwater lagoon and year-round
spring, stepped over unexcavated building ruins, and admired ancient cave
paintings that haven’t been dated. We took in the area generally and marveled at
how green and lush it is—a world away from the barren desert just a few miles
inland. Most people decided to cool off in the ocean before we loaded up the
boats to return. The tide was coming in and some of the boat departures through
the waves got a little . . . exciting. We departed by sea, as Nephi did.
Exhausted, sweaty, and tired, we returned to our bus and headed back to the
comfort of the hotel, satisfied with a truly adventurous day and a fitting
conclusion to the tour. While we may never know the exact location of Nephi’s
Bountiful, Khor Kharfot is the most probable place—the only one that meets all
12 of Nephi’s criteria.

A lagoon and prominent mountain at Kharfot, Bountiful candiate #3

We made our camp in the date palms

Exploring Kharfot

Ruins leading up to a large man-made structure that has not been excavated

Flying south to Salalah, in the south of
Oman, we could see the barren landscape of the desert stretch out before us in
every direction. This was our final destination: the only region that could
possibly include the location for Nephi’s Bountiful. Only three sites have been
proposed for Nephi’s Bountiful and our objective as a group was to visit each
site and evaluate them firsthand according to Nephi’s own criteria. (To see
more on the criteria for Nephi’s Bountiful click here).

After checking into our hotel we departed for
an afternoon tour with our driver, Abdullah. Our first stop was Bountiful
candidate #1: Mughsayl. Mughsayl has not been seriously considered as a
possibility for Bountiful by many people: it only meets a few of Nephi’s
criteria and archeological digs at the site have not revealed traces of any
late Iron Age human occupation. Nevertheless, it is a picturesque location with
sweeping views of the ocean and impressive blowholes at high tide. We drove
inland to the hills behind Salalah to quickly peek at the traditional site of
the tomb of the prophet Job. At dusk we explored Salalah’s frankincense souk—a
popular place to pick up frankincense, myrrh, and traditional Omani
clothing.Everyone was ready for dinner
by the time we returned to the hotel, and we enjoyed an incredible seafood
buffet at the hotel’s open-air restaurant, right on the beach.

Day 2 in Salalah gave us significant insight
into the history of the area and the major role it played anciently in the
frankincense trade. We spent the morning at the Museum of the Land Frankincense
and braved the scorching heat to tour the adjacent ruins of Al-Baleed. It was
instructive to see many examples of ancient ship building techniques, including
some boats that were sewn together, and learn about how local products can be
used to construct ships. Who knew that rope made out of coconut could be so
strong? For lunch we visited a local restaurant that makes an unbelievable
variety of fruit juices. For many, it was a chance to enjoy avocado juice for
the first time and people were not disappointed.

Finally, in the afternoon, we headed east to
explore Bountiful candidate #2: Khor Rori. Anciently Khor Rori was an important
port in the frankincense trade, and ruins continue to be excavated in the area.
With a sizeable lagoon and cliffs jutting into the ocean, this is one of only
two plausible locations for Nephi’s bountiful. On the way back to the hotel it
was time for a final detour to spend time with some camel farmers. We didn’t
let the pungent smell deter us as we enjoyed time up close with the camels.
Most people even took advantage of the unique opportunity to sample fresh
camel’s milk—still frothy and warm.